Drawer suspension



April301940, I w. R. HULTBRG 2,199,260

DRAWER SUSPENSION Filed Dec. 2. l19257 Patented Ape-3io, 1940 ,Y I t.

UNITED 'STATE-sf PATENT oEFicE4 DRAWER snsPENsIoisIy Walter R. Hultberg, Corry, Pa., assigner to Corry- Jamestown Manufacturing Corporation, Corry,

Pa., a' corporation of NewYork Application December 2, 1937, Serial No; 177,729' t 6.,.Claims. (Cl. 45-77) z This 'invention relates to an improvement in with respect to each other so thatv they may folcases or cabinets and more particularly to suslow in their proper tracks in the cabinet andy-not pensions for slidably mounting the drawers cause the drawer to bind thereagainst. I thereof. l One of the objects of the invention lies in the i '5 In one form the invention is directed to the provision of a, suspension which facilitates free 5 provision of a suspension for drawers and the ylike and easy movement of a drawer supported therein which the slides of the suspension are so corby. v related as to give strength and rigidity to each t Another object of the invention lies in the prom other andat the same time be permitted a cervision of a suspension havingcorrelated slides i() tain amount of relative adjustment for the purwhich operate as a unit iorth'e purpose of pre- 10 pose of providing free and unhampered moveventingmisalignment thereof under'substantially ment of a drawer by eliminating the tendency all conditions of use.

of the slides of the drawer to bind; Another object of the inventionv lies in the Prior to this invention it has been the practice provision of a suspension of the cradle type in l5 to mount sliding drawers in a case or cabinet whichthe slides have lateral adjustability. 15

through the use of either of two types'of suspen- Other and further objects of the invention will sions, namely, a suspension in which the slides be more fully understoodfroma consideration of are individually movable, or a carriage or rcradle the following specification taken in conjunction type suspension wherein the slides are rigidly with the accompanying drawing and in which connected by strap members extending beneath Fig. 1 is a fragmentary 'side elevation of a case A20 the drawer, In the suspension having individualor cabinet type drawer supported inpartlially eX- ly movable slides it has been found thatl as the tended position on a suspension involving one drawer is'moved outwardlyv and the slides are form of the invention; y y l under a heavy strain and load, there is a tend` Fig. 2' is a bottom plan view of a part of the bent.` Consequently, when the drawer is closed the slides thereof; y the slides tend to rub and bind against'the draw- Fig.' 3 is a vertical ylongitudinal sectional view er, cabinet, Vor other element of the suspension. taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 4; Furthermore, suspensions lhaving .independentr and y slides must be carefully inspected, testedand Fig. 4 isa vertical transverse sectional view l3l) installed to assure even limited successful operataken substantially on the line 4.-4 of Figure 3'. tion, and' this' involves a considerable labor cost. Reference is now had to the drawing wherein The cradle ltype of suspension is rigid, that is, the numeral iii is employed to designates. con` the slides thereof are secured by one or more ventional case or cabinet adapted to mount a straps extending beneath the drawer. Although drawer Il. The 'drawer 'il is'mounted on a susl:5'5v this typerofsuspension is simpler and less costly pension E2 which' is movable with respect to the to install, the fact that theslides thereof are cabinet lil for'the purpose of facilitating opening rigid prevents necessary lateral adjustment t and closing ofthe drawer. Inasmuch as the case thereof as a drawer is moved from one position and drawer structure'form no part `of the invenf. to another', and consequently, ifa Suspension of tion, further description thereof is. deemed un- )i0 this type 'is not accurately assembled and rinnecessary.

stalled, binding of the slide withthe drawer and The suspension i2 includes a pair of spaced the Cabinet iS likely t0 000111' from time 13,0 time apart slides i3 and I4 havingl identical reversedfy t and thus prevent free and easy movement of the parts. Each slide comprises a "vertical wall I6 45 drawer.4 y n f which is terminated by a top horizontal flange l1. 45 v The present invention includes advantages o A bottom flange itv terminates in areturn bent the kabove mentioned types of suspensions with-` iiange t3. Mounted in the space 2| .between the out their disadvantages' by providing a pair ofr wall it and rflange i9 are suitable rollers 22. As slidesA for a drawer which are'connected at the shown in the drawing, certain of the rollers may ro forward and possibly thev` rearward ends by transproject downwardly through a suitable slotA in 5() verse telescoping members. These members give the ilange I8 'for the purpose of contacting a considerable rigidity to theslides, making them track 23 secured to the innerwall of the cabinet more or less of a unit, and this thereby facilitates EG. A conventional angle plate or rail 24 is joined installation. At the same time, the slides are to the side wall of the drawer ll and rests upon 55 permitted a certain amount of'lateral movement the uppersurface yof rollers 22 and any other 55 ency to twist and become slightly warped or suspension disclosing the means lfor connecting `2`5 i rollers that'may be considered necessary. The slides I3 and I4 are conventional and may be used as independent suspensions for the drawer. However, inasmuch as independently movable slides or drawer suspensions fail to always move simultaneously and to the same extent during manipulation of a drawer, there is a tendency for one or the other of the slides to become misaligned with the track 23 or rail 24. Furthermore, when the drawer is fully extended, the weight of the contents thereof or the weight of a person examining the contents tends to twist the partially unsupported slides, causing them to become permanently warped or bent and thusimpairing their relatively free movement.

It has been found advisable to provide means for connecting the slides I3 and I4 so that during movement of the drawer they may move inwardly and outwardly as one element. At the same time it is necessary that the slides have lateral adjustability for the purpose of overcoming any possible structural inaccuracies and the frequent tendency of the user of a rile to attempt to manipulate the drawer from one side or the other rather than directly from the front. To secure the slides and at the same time provide limited lateral adjustability is one of the purposes of the present invention and is accomplished in the following manner. A channel-like member 26 having a base wall 21, side flanges 28 and return bent flanges 2B is secured, along an oiset portion 3I thereof, to the flange I8 of the slide I3 in any suitable manner as by welding. Increased rigidity of the member 26 with respect to the slide I8 may be had by cutting away side anges 28 of the offset portion 3l, slotting the iiange I9 to receive ilanges 29, and intertting the elements of the member 26 and slide I3. The member 26 extends substantially at right angles to the slide and may be mounted forwardly thereof adjacent the foremost roller 22. A corresponding member 26 is secured in the same manner to slide I4. 'I'hese members are adapted to be connected by a bar 32 which in one form is provided with a central longitudinally extending rib 33 that lies between the adjacent edges of flanges 29 of the member 26. The longitudinal edges of the bar 32 lie within pockets formed by the flanges 2l, 28, and 29 of the member 26. The bar 32 may be provided with a centrally depressed area 34 which serves to further rigidify the bar and also provides clearance with respect to any stops or other necessary projections on the under surface of the drawer. It will be noted (see Figure 4) that the offset portion 3l serves as a stop to limit telescoping of the bar 32 with the member 26. It willalso be noted that the slides I3 and I4 may move laterally with respect to each other and the bar 32, but due to the proportions of the bar and the method of mounting it on the-members 26, the slides I3 and I4 may not have relative longitudinal movement by which they might be misaligned or caused to bind against the cabinet or drawer. In other words, through the use of the telescoping bar 32, in conjunctionwith the supporting members 23, the slides are suiiiciently rigidied to withstand excessive content loads or any other weight placed upon the drawer, and at the same time, allow sufficient lateral adjustability of the slides to prevent distortion and permanent msalignment thereof.

It is evident that the slides I3 and I4 may be adjustably connected not only at the forward but the rearward ends or, in the case of .unusually long slides, intermediate the ends as well. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the specific structure of the bar 132 and mounting members 28-may be altered as needed to adapt these elements to various drawer and cabinet designs and, therefore, modifications or adaptations of this nature'are contemplated insofar as they lie within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the hereunto annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. A suspension for a case or cabinet drawer comprising a pair oi spaced apart slides, said slides being adapted to be engaged with suitable rails on said drawer, telescoping means arranged transversely of and connecting said slides, said means restricting said slides to lateral relative movement.

2. A suspension for a case or cabinet vdrawer comprising a pair of spaced apart slides adapted to engage suitable rails on said drawer, freely extensible means arranged transversely of and connecting said slides, said means being positioned out of the path of said drawer and restricting said slides to lateral relative movement.

3. A suspension for a case or cabinet drawer comprising a pair of spaced apart slides adapted to` engage suitable rails on said drawer, members secured to and directed transversely of each of said slides, and means cooperating with said members to provide unrestricted lateral adjustment of said slides during installation and use.

4. A suspension for a case or cabinet drawer comprising a pair of spaced apart slides adapted to engage suitable rails on said drawer, members disposed transversely. of and secured to said slides, a bar, the ends of said bar having telescoping engagement with said members, said members 'and said bar cooperating to provide unrestricted lateral adjustment of said slides during installation` and use.

5. A suspension for a case or cabinet drawer comprising a pair of spaced apart slides adapted to engage suitable rails on said drawer, flat channel-like members arranged transversely of and secured to said slides, a bar having telescoping engagement with said channel-like members, and means on said bar adapted to prevent distortion thereof whereby said bar and said members may be relatively adjustable to facilitate varying the transverse spacing of said slides during installation and use.

6. A suspension for a case or cabinet drawer comprising a pair of spaced apart slides adapted to engage suitable rails on said drawer, channellike members arranged transversely of and secured to said slides, a bar, the ends of said bar having telescoping engagement with said members, a rib extending longitudinally of said bar, said rib cooperating with the edges of said members to rigidify the connection between said slides and prevent longitudinal displacement thereof during installation and use.

WALTER R. HULTBERG. 

